American Chic

Long story short, things are going really well here. I moved to Gijón two weeks ago and have already met lots of interesting and kind people as well as accomplished a lot of administrative obligations (ie my NIE, TIE, health care, enpadonramiento, citizen's card). The changes and new environment has given me lots of ideas to write about, but not much time. I'm making a sort of resolution for myself to try to write a decent entry once per week at least until the end of the year.

One of the first things I noticed is how America can seem chic and exotic here. In France I quickly learned that throwing in little English catchphrases (for example, "c'était très speed" to mean something happened really fast) was very à la mode. Hah. I suppose the same way French can work for English speakers. Here in Spain I was overwhelmed by the number of bars and cafes with American places as their name--cafe las vegas, cafe montana, cafe omaha.

After, speaking with my roommates (three Spanish engineering students), my colleagues, recent acquaintances, I was surprised to find out many people dream of going to the states and particularly to NYC, Miami, and Las Angeles even if they might not speak a word of English or have any idea where exactly these cities are located in a country as large as their continent.

On occasion I came across a French person who dreamed of going to the US, but in these cases it was almost always about going to San Francisco. I'm starting to realize that the French pride that is evident in so many aspects of their culture, language and upbringing may also have tied into a downplay on America and it's presence on a global level. Here in Spain I've found people much more aware of and interested in American culture, as well as more welcoming to Americans as other citizens of the world and not necessarily a representative of "Corporate America" as happened...not frequently but still more than expected in France.

For many of my students I am the first American they've ever met after years of being exposed American culture through our films, tv and music. They were much more aware of American geography, and overtly exciting about having me with them this year. This I could attribute to many things (their education in English language, a more extroverted society, younger groups of students), but whatever the reason I have been really struck by it and am excited to see where this can take us as well as to see if a greater amount of progress may occur.

Thinking of so many of my friends who have said, "Oh, how I'd love to go to Paris." I am now experiencing the opposite of Spaniards saying, with stars in their eyes, "How I dream to go to New York."